Racking machine



Nov. 9 1926.-

w. H. MOCLELLAND BACKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 1Nov. 9, 1926. 1,606,477

w. H. MCCLELLAND RACKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15,1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2far/ 11501? WWW H Nov. 9,1926. 1,606,477 W. H. M CLELLAND RACKINGMACHINE Filed D80. 15. 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 W. H. M CLELLAND Nov. 91926.

BACKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 9 1926.

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W. H. M CLELLAND BACKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15. 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6meant PATENT orrrc.

WILLIAM H. McCLELLiAND. OF HUNTINGDON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, ro nor 2. it. nltvrs,

GE MQUNUL, UNION, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAGKIHG MACHINE.

Application flied December 15, 192%. Serial inc. 755,935.

My invention relates to racking machines and more particularly foruse inthe loan dling of brick from brick making machines.

The object of my invent on is to provide a eliicient means forautomatically placing loaded pallets, that is pallets with brickthereon, upon drying cars.

Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent as thespecification is conto sidered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

in the use of standard drying cars con siderable diiliculty has beenexperienced in transferring the loaded pallets from the 15 elevatorracks to the drying cars, without modification of the construction ofthe cars, due to the fact that the elevator racks would frequently beslightly out of alignment with the drying cars. This objection isovercome by the presentinvention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the elevator in raisedposition Figure 3 is a detail plan view on the bridge members;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of my device; Figure 5 is a detail view ofthe means for actuating the pusher members or frames;

Figure 6 is a detail view of the' pallet lubricating mechanism;

Figure 7 is a detail view of the pallet checking means;

:m Figure 8 is a detail view of the means for actuating the bridgingdevices and brace bars Figure 9 is a detail view of the bridgingdevices; t

Figure 10 is a detail viewv of the drying car- I Figurell is a sectiononthe line 11 -11 I of Figure 1; and 1 Figures 12 and 13 aredetail viewsof the means for supporting and actuating the bridge members.

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like referencenumerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1,denotes the deliver end of a brick making machine from whic allets 2,with brick 3, thereon are lowere to a pair of horizontally disposedendless conveyor belts 6, in any suitable manner as for example, bymeans of endless chains 5.

These belts run over drums '7, mounted on shafts 8, suitably supportedin the framework 9, of the machine and driven from an suitable source ofpower (not shown The loaded pallets are deposited upon t e belts 6, ingroups of four, one group to each belt, the individual pallets of eachgroup being slightly spaced apart as best illustratebl in Figures 1 and2. The belts 6, deliver the loaded pallets to an elevator 10, by whichthey are elevated into position to be delivered to the drying car 11, ina manner hereinafter described.

The elevator 10, which is preferably of I beam or angle ironconstructlon comprises four uprights 12, connected together by crossbeams 13, and angularly disposed braces 14, corner plates 15, andsimilar centrally disposed plates 16, being employed to insure rigidconnection between the parts. The lower portion of the elevator 10, isof open construction, that is, the corner uprights 12, are not tiedtogether by braces at their lower ends. This lower end of the elevatoris divided into two compartments 17, each of which are provided atopposite sides with spaced angle bars or ledges 18, suitably connectedto the corner uprights 12, and to side uprights 19. These bars or ledges18, form racks adapted to lift the loaded pallets from the belts 6 asthe eleva-v by step in a manner heretor is raised step inafterdescribed.

Vertical movement of the elevator is effected by means of pinions 20,fixedly mounted on shafts 21, which shafts carry large worm gears 22,meshing with small worm gears 23, on the drive shaft 24, in

turn connected to the motor 25, through suitable clutch mechanism 26.The corner uprights 12, are provided with rack teeth 27, throughout theupper portion of their length, which. mesh with the pinions 20.Consequently when the clutch 26, is thrown in, the elevator'will becaused to move upwardly, and the top most angle bars or .ledges 18, ineach compartment of the elevator willthen pickup a set of four palletsfrom the respective belts 6. Thelower end of the elevator is guided byidle rollers 51, during this movement, which movement is continued stepby step until all the fourteen racks in the elevator are filled,whereupon the upward movement of the latter is continued until theelevator approxi- Ice matelv registers with the dryer car 11, previous yreferred to. When the pallets enter the elevator, the first pallet ofeach set or group strike stops 28, mounted forshdmg movement on bolts29, secured to the frame 9, by nuts 30. Springs 31, on the bolts hearingat op osite ends between the sto s 28, and the rame 9, resiliently checkt e movement of the foremost pallet of each group, the remaining threepallets of each group continuing their forward-movement until allclearances are taken up and the pallets abut each other.

As previously described, the loaded allots are deposited upon the bolts6, one pa, let at a time until the belts contain groups of four withsmall clearance between veach pallet. The belts then advance a distanceslightly in excess of the space oceupied by the four loaded pallets,thus bringing the first set of pallets above the top rack in theelevator. lhe upward movements ofelevator 10, and the movements of thebolts 6, and the pallet delivery mechanism is so timed that a secondgroup of loaded pallets will be in position to enter the elevator by thetime the elevator has moved upwardly a distance equal to that of thespace between the racks 18. It will of course be understood that themovement of the belts 6, may be vaned according to the distance betweenthe brick machine and the elevator. a

Just previous to entering the elevator 10, each pallet of a set or groupof four pallets is aligned with respect to the other allets of the setor group, by means of gm ee 32, which are moved to dotted line positionFigure 4, by any suitable means. (not shown).

The dryer car 11, is of skeleton construction comprisin uprights 33, theinner uprights subdividing, the car into two compartments. To these u r1hts are secured angle iron ledges 34, w 10 form racks or shelves forsupporting the loaded pallets received from the elevator. It is intendedthat the compartments of the dryer can 11, be similar in dimensions tothe dimensions of the compartments of the elevator 10, and that thenumber and spacing of the ledges or racks be the same in the car as inthe elevator. However, it frequently happens due The space or gapbetween the elevator 10,

' and the dryer carll, is bridged by a plurality of bridge members 50,comprising pairs .bers 44, are normally drawn of resilient pallet skidsor supports 35, one

, pair for each pair of ledges in each compartment of the conveyor anddryer rar. These skids or supports 35, are connected toangle plates orledges 36, similar to and aligned with the angle plate or ledgcs 18, ofthe elevator 10, the angle plates 36, in turn being supported byvertical beams'37, it being understood that there will be a air of skids3."), and angle plates 36, for caci pair of an le plates or ledges 18,in the elevator 10. he vertical beams 37, and attached parts, which areconnected at top and bottom by horizontally disposed beams 37, aresupported by upper and lower shafts 38, and 30, respective] mounted inbearings 40 and 41. So- Clll'0( to the vertically disposed portion 42,of each angle plate or ledge 36, as by rivets or the like 43, is a leafsprin 7 guide member 44, the springs of each pair ariug outwardly in, oposite directions at their free ends across t no upper fares of thepallet skids As reviously stated the vertically dis- .posed )can s37,and attached parts which go to make up the bridge members are supportedby the. shafts 38 and 39. This is accomplishedby means of verticallydisposed rods or plates 100, which are secured in any desired manner tothe beams 37, located at each side of thebridge members 50. The

rods 100, have curved upper ends 101, which arerpivotally connected asat 102, to the upper ends of arms 103, in turn fixed to shaft 38.The'lower ends of these rods or plates 100, are formed with lugs 104,which are pivoted as at 105, to the upper ends of arms 106, thelower-ends of the arms 106, being fixed to the shaft 39.

The skids 35, and the sprin guide memack towards the elevator 10, toretracted or full line positions illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, untilthe elevator 10, has risen to the point where its ledges 18, are levelwith' or slightly higher than the corresponding ledges 34, of thedryercar.

llll) The bridge members 50,

Figure 3, with the skid members 35, and the spring guide members 44,overlap ing at their ends, the angle plates or le ges 34, of the dryercar. This movement, is effected through partial rotation of shafts 38and 39 by appropriate manipulation of the hand lever 45,,afiixed toshaft 39, the shafts 38 and 39 being operatively connected together bymeans of lever arms 46 and 47 fixedly mounted on the respective shafts,and a link 48, connecting said arms. Should the pallet ledges on theelevator be out of alignment either to the right or to the left orshould they be above the dryer car ledges, the resilient members 35 and44, will properly direct the pallets into the car. a

has been filled .and

After the elevator raised, and the bridging devices 50, ad-

vanced to operative position, the loaded paltor into the dryer car, b orframes 49, one for eac compartment of the elevator. These members orframes each comprise vertically disposed beams 52, connected bytransverse beams 97, rearwardly extending horizontally disposed beams53,

iii

' connected to the framework by brackets 64,.

and angularl disposed beams 54, rigidly secured toget er in any approvedmanner. Horizontally disposed beams 55, connect the rearwardl extendingbeams 53, of each frame. he two ra-mes are slidably mounted on theframework 9, b means of brackets 56, and supporting rol ers 57.

Slotted bars 58, one for each pusher frame 49, are pivotally connectedat their lower ends to shafts 59, mounted in brackets 60,

secured to the framework 9. The upper ends of the bars 58, are connectedto the pusher frames by means of pins 61, extending through the slots62, in the bars. A shaft 63,

has crank arms 65, keyed thereto which have pins 83, extending throughthe slots 62, of the bars 58. Consequently when the shaft 63, isrotated, one complete revolution by any suitable means (not shown) thepusher frames 49, will first move forwardly to dotted line position,Figure 5;, ush the loaded pallets from the ledges o the elevator ontothe ledges of the dryer car, and then returnto Figure 1 osition. Thisrotation of the shaft 63, ta es place when the bridge members have beenmoved to operative position.

In order that the thrust required to push the pallets be reduced to aminimum means-- for lubricating the ends of the pallets over-. hangingthe sides of the'belts 6, are provided as follows: Oil receptacles 66,containing rollers 67, are secured to the framework 9, by brackets 87,there being two receptacles for each conveyor belt 6, one at each sidethereof. By this means, the bottoms of the pallets adjacent the endsthereof become lubricated during the passage of the pallets over therollers. It will be understood that the receptacles '66, containlubricating oil, also that the ends of the pallets engage the rollers 67prior to being deposited upon the ledges'18 of the elevator.

Brace bars 68, are provided opposite each compartment of the dryer car,on the side opposite to that from which thepallets enter, for thepurpose of preventing the car from tipping when the pallets are beingmoved into the car. These brace bars are pivotally connected at theirupper ends to the lower arms 69, of the bell cranks 70, the upper arms71, of the bell cranks being connected to the levers 72, on shafts 38,by means of rods 73. The bell cranks 70, are suitably pivoted to theframework 9, by brackets 74, and shaft 75, and the lower ends of thebrace Actuation of the hand lever 45, .to cause the bridging devices 50,to bridge the space between the elevator 10, and carll, also causes the'brace bars 68, to be moved from the Figure 1 to Figure 8 position,through the artial rotation of the shafts 39 and 38.

aving thus fully described my invention, I Will now endeavor to explainbriefly its mode of operation: I

The bricks are delivered from the deliverv end of a suitable brick-makinmachine indicated at 1 upon pallets 2. w ich are later conveyed by meansof suitable carriers from their loading position to a delivery belt 6,where they are fed into the elevator rack disclosed in Figure 1. As thepallets, havmg thereon the bricks, are conveyed toward the elevator,guides 32 are positioned upon each side of the conveyor for aligning thepal-lets thereon so'as to present the same in proper position to bereceived upon the racks carried by the elevator. 1 During the deliveryof the initial set of pallets upon the uppermost rail of theelevator,the motor 25 being constantly rotating and in geared action with therack 27, moves the elevator rack up gradually, and this movement issynchronized with the movement of the belt 6 so that the uppermost railis filled and moved upwardly so as to present the second rail 1nposition to receive the bricks thereafter delivered to the rack by theconveyor. Thls action continues until the elevator rack is completelyfilled, and at which time the elevator has nearly reached its upwardmovement. By the driving means herein ment1oned,the elevator continuesupwardly until it reaches the limit of its upward movement, at whichtime the pusher 52, moving between the racks of the elevator, engagesthe pallets thereupon and slides the same from the racks throughintermediateracks 50 and upon the drying rack 34. The drying rack 34 isbraced by means of vertical elements 68 engaging the rack during themovement of the pallets thereon. As disclosed in Figures 1 and 11, thebridging elements, between the elevator: and drying rack, are moved tooperative positions by suitable hand levers.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having spaced racks therein,an endless conveyor for delivering thereupon loaded pallets, means formoving said elevator into alignment with'a drying rack, means forengaging the pallets and moving the same from the elevator to the dryingrack, and means engageable with the drying rack for adding rigidity tothe same during the movement of the pallets thereto.

I no

'2. EIn a brick handling machine,an elevator having therein s acedracks, an endless conveyor for deliverin succ'essfull thereto loadedpallets, means for moving i218 elevator upwardly between the delivery ofthe pallets to the several racks, said elevator finally falling inalignment with a drying rack, bridging elements connecting the racks ofthe former with those of the latter, means for sliding the loadedpallets from the racks of the elevator to those of the drying rack, andvertical elements enlga eable wlth the racks of the dryin rac Iorbracing the same during the delivery of the pallets thereto.

3. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having racks therein, drumson opposite sides of said elevator, an endless belt assing over saiddrums and through said e evator.

for delivering groups of loaded pallets in spaced relation above saidracks, resilient means arranged in the path of said loaded pallets forarresting the movement of said pallets and to take u the clearancetherebetween, and means or successively raisin said elevator to causesaid racks to lift. sai groups of pallets from said belt. a

4. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having a plurality of spacedracks for supporting loaded pal ets thereon, means for delivering loadedpallets successively to the racks, a dryer car having racks similar tothe racks of the elevator, and means for simultancously moving theloaded pallets along the racks of the elevator tothe racks of the dryercar.

5. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having a. pluralit of spacedracks for supporting loaded pal ets thereon, means for delivering loadedpallets to the racks, a dryor car arranged adjacent to but in spacedrelation to the elevator, said dryer car having a plurality of spacedracks corresponding to the racks of the elevator, means for brid ing thespace between the elevator and t e dryer car, means for transferring theloaded pallets in the elevator across said bridging means onto the racksof the dryer car.

(i. In a brick handling machine, an elevator having a plurality ofspaced racks for supporting loaded pal ets thereon, means for deliveringloaded pallets to the racks. a dryer car arranged adjacent to but inspaced ing a plurality of spaced racks corresponding to the racks of theelevator, means for bridging the space between the elevator and thedryer car, means for transferring the loaded pallets in the elevatoracross said bridging means onto the racks of the dryer car, ant

while the allets are being transferred.

7. Ina rick handling machine, an elevetor having a plurality of spacedracks for supporting loaded pallets thereon, means for de ivering loadedpallets to the said racks, a dryer car arranged adjacent to but spacedfrom the elevator, said dryer car having a plurality of spaced rackscorresponding to the racks of the elevator, a movable bridging memberarranged betweenthe elevator and car for bridging the space between theelevator and the car, a movable bracin bar for the car, said bracing barand brir ging member being normally in inoperative position, means forsimultaneously moving the bracing bar and the bridging member tooperative position, and means for transferring the loadedspallets in theelevator across said bridging. means onto the racks of the dryer car.

8. In a brick handling machine, an e1eva tor having a pluralit of spacedracks for supportingloaded pal ets thereon, means for delivering loadedpallets to the said racks, a

dryercar arranged adjacent to but spaced from the; elevator, said dryercar having s aced racks corresponding to the racks of t e elevator,means for transferring the pallets from the elevator racks 'to the carracks, a bridging member comprising pallet skids and spring arms adaptedrespectively to suport and guide the pallets'during said transer.

for bridging the space between the elevator I and the dryer car.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM H. MCCLELLAND.

means for bracing the\ ,dryer car 9. In a brick handling machine, aneleva

